Typewriting machine



Aug. 14, 1928. I 1,680,483

B. c. STICKNEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Fil ly 192s S'SheetS-Sheet 1 J3 In venfor:

Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,483

B. C. STICKNEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Fil y 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,483

B. C. STICKNEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Fil y 1925 I s sheets-sheet 5 y 49 v l I FRONT VIEW -RR B0fl5 Elia 3H J? J/ i I \45 FRONT vizw Patented Au 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BURNHAM C. STICKNEY, 0F PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGN OR T0 UE'DER- -WOOD ELLIOTT FISHER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPEWRITIN G MACHINE.

Application filed July 8, 1925. Serial No. 42,114.

forms to new forms being effected as the typing proceeds.

In this class of manifolding typewriters, the cylindrical platen of the machine has been usually elevated as a preliminary step to straightening out the web, so as to render shifting of the carbons practicable; and it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide simply and economically for avoiding the necessity of so elevatingthe platen, or of reconstructing the typewriting machine.

According to the present invention, an idle loop composed of a loose work-web and interleaved carbons is established at the rear of the machine, to permit free movement of the carriage in both directions during typing of the forms, the loop preferably hanging; and mechanism is included for straightening out the web so nearly to a flat condition as to permit easy stripping or shifting of the carbons.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive device of this character which may be supplied separately and readily attached to any standard typewriting machine, either old or new, and conveniently detached to enable the machine to be converted to its ordinary use if desired.

A loop of composite web hangs from a normally stationary carbon-stripper, extending first downwardly and then upwardly to the typewriter carriage, this loop having great length so as to admit of its swinging and skewing to accommodate the travel of the carriage, since the carriage-end of the loop travels while the stripper-end of the loop remains stationary. The stripper is mounted upon a movable stripping frame which stands back of the typewriting machine and is pivoted at its bottom upon a bracket that is detachably secured to the bottom of the machine and projects back therefrom. The carbons are preferably in the form of short sheets, extending around the platen of the typewriter, and connected by long tabs to said carbon-stripper. The

tabs are preferably of smooth paper or cloth, to permit them to slip readily between the plies of work-sheet.

The loop-forming and carbon-stripping mechanism includes a carbon-carrier, to which the rearends of the tabs are attached,

from a stack at the rear of the machine.

\Vhen it is desired to strip the carbons, or shift them along the web, the composite loop is first taken up by a rearward move ment of the carbon-stripping unit, which is mounted to swing rearwardly at the back of the typewriting machine. When the composite web is thus flattened or nearly so, the front end of the work-web alone may be secured and held stationary, while the carbon-stripper is forced to swing farther back a distance equal to the length of one printed form, thereby stripping the carbons from the stationary work-web and bringing and which also provides a support from i which the work-web dangles as it feeds up them to a fresh position of use along the" web.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a loop-take-up, preferably in the form of a curved table or support, which may be mounted upon thesame swinging frame as the stripper or carbon-carrier. This curved table may normally hang idly at the back of the typewriting machine, but it swings upwardly to take up or expand the loop; this table or expander being so extensive as to hold the loop in expanded condition during the ensuing carbon-stripping operation. As a result, the entire device may be compactly placed right behind the typewriting machine, and but little if any overtopping the machine, while permit ting the use of a long sweep of loop to accommodate the travel of the carriage.- The carbon-stripping mechanism can all be mounted upon a bracket attached to the under side of an Underwood standard typewritmg machine, while the delivery shelf, web-severing knife, gages, etc., can be placed upon a bracket that is readily attachable to the shifting platen-frame of said Underwood machine.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an Underwood typewriting machine with the present improvments attached thereto. In this view the parts are shown at about the completion of the typing of the third form on the leading end of the web;

the idle loop of composite web being all,

taken up, except for a certain amount of slack which is required for accomodating the movements of the typewriter-carriage; the web-stripper being shown in normal position of disuse.

Figure 2 is a view showing the principal features of the device at Figure 1, but showing the feed-rolls released from the platen and the carbon-stripper as having been swung upwardly and backwardly to take up the loop seen at Figure 1, and to pull back the released composite web around the platen to the right point for beginning the relative stripping operation; the loop of web being shown as beingtaken up by the swinging curved table.

Figure 3 shows the parts at Figure 2 in the same positions, but illustrates the temporary clamping of the leading end of the workweb, to hold the same stationary during the ensuing stripping of the carbons therealong.

Figure 4 shows in full lines the same parts as at Figures 2 and 3, but shows the carbonstripper unit as having been carried to its extreme rear position, together with the loop-expanding table, which is just in rear of the stripper unit, whereby the carbons have been stripped from the last typed form and shifted to position for tyPingJthe next form on the web, viz, the fourth. In the several views the divisions between the successive forms printed on the web are indicated by short marks. Figure 4 also indicates in dotted lines the positions of the parts when the carbon-stripper unit has been swung forwardly and downwardly to normal position.

Figure 5 shows the positions of the parts at the beginning of the typing of the third form on the web.

Figure 5? shows the preferred means for connecting the carbon-sheet to its tab.

Figure 6 showsthe parts in full lines in the same positions as indicated by the dot- 5n ted lines at Figure 4; and illustrates the form at the top of the web, viz, the first form, as being torn off preparatory to advancing the web sufiiciently to bring the fourth form, together with its interleaved carbons u to printing position.

Figure is a front elevation of the platen and the work-table at the delivery side of the platen.

Figure 8 is a front. sectional elevation, showing the typwriting-machine frame and the web-controlling parts in rear thereof; the parts being in normal positions, as at Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a detail of a knife and clamp used at the delivery side of the machine.

Figure 10 is a detail of the adjustment of the knife, which is adjustable for different length of forms.

An Underwood front-strike typewriting machine 10 comprises types. 11 to strike against the front side of a cylindrical platen 12, which is mounted by means of an axle 13 in a platen-frame, the latter comprising ends 14 and a rear introductory paper-shelf 15 which inclines downwardly and forwardly and extends under the laten, and has adjustable side gages 15 or the web. The platen is provided on its under side with releasable feed-rolls 16, and on its front side with a releasable feed-roll 17. The platenframe 14, 15 is mounted upon a carriage 18, which runs upon a rear guide-track 19 and a front track 20.

A work-web 21, comprising usually three or more plies, which is usually fan-folded, is led up from any source of supply, past a temporary rear guide 22, and thence upwardly and forwardly to a carbon-carrier 23, through which the plies of web are separately threaded. This carrier is mounted upon a pair of arms 24 at the sides of the machine swung upon pivots 25 in the upper ends of standards 26; the normal position being shown at Figure 1. The carbon-carrier has stripping blades 27 of usual construction, the same carrying carbons 29 or tabs 29, and being, as usual, mounted detachably upon the carrier 23, which has the form of .a bar. The blades preferably have websplitting knives 27. From said carrier 23 hangs a loop of composite web 28, comprising plies 21 and interleaved carbons 29 and tabs 29. The loop of composite web hangs at the back of the typewritmg machine, and is always of sufficient length to aecomodate the traveling movements of the typewriter carriage 18, while the carbon-carrier 23 remains stationary. The tabs 29 may be of thin sheets of celluloid or other flexible, smooth, slippery and tough fibrous material.

At its front end the loop hangs over the top of the paper-shelf 15, and the composite web runs thence downwardly and forwardly around the under side of the platen 12 and up along a delivery shelf 30, which extends upwardly and rearwardly from the platen, and is mounted upon brackets or supports 31 detachably-secured by screws 32 to the platen-frame ends 14.

In use, the carbons and tabs may be inserted or loaded between the web-plies while the carbon-carrier 23 is in a rearward position, and then the forward end of the web may be inserted around the platen and carried up in front of the same. The first two forms printed on the web may be disregarded, as they need not be typed upon, but

' are useful in subsequent manipulation of the web. After the carbon-carrier or looper 23 1s swung forwardly, making a loop, the typing of the third web-form proceeds, the loop 28 being taken up line by line without overshortemn it, so that it always accommodates the trave mg movements of the carriage 18. The completion of the typing of the third form is indicated at Figure 1; the division lines between the forms being indicated by short dashes spaced along the web.

Upon completion of the typing of a. form, the next step is to take up the idleloop 28, preparatory to stripping the carbons. For taking up the loop, a handle 33 is pushed rearwardly, and by means thereof a bar or link 34 is slidden back, said bar having horizontal guide slots 35 carried upon pins.

36 fixed in the framework which is attached to the typewriter. This operation swings an arm 37 that is pivoted at 38 upon one of the standards 26. To this arm is rigidly connectedby shaft 38 a sector 39, meshing with a pinion 40, fixed to one of the swinging arms24. The arms 24 are caused to swing rearwardly from the position at Figure 1 to the position at Figure 3, together with the carbon-carrier unit 23 thereon.

Also swinging with the carbon-carrier 23 is a loop-takeup in the form of a table or expanding device 41, .which extends horizontally across the machine and is preferably the segment of a cylinder concentric with the pivots 25, and mounted upon arms 42. Each set of arms 24, 42 forms a plate or head at one side of the machine. These plates or heads are rigidly connected by said curved table 41 fixed thereto. The temporary web support 22 is on one end of said curved table, in normal position, at Figure 1. Between the carbon-blades 27 and the loop-expanding table 41 the web passes between sideedge guides 42 adjusta le along a cross-rod 42 carried by arms 42 formed on arms 24.

The standards 26 are erected upon the rear of a platform that is detachably secured by the rubber-feet screws 26 to the under side of the base of the typewriter 10. The platform comprises flanged bars 26 which are joined by plate 46.

When the backwardly-swinging arms 24 have about reached vertical positions, the loop 28 is tautened or all taken up; the typewriter carriage at this t1me be1ng at a point midway of the line of typing. The feed-rolls 16 may now be cast off, and the rearward thrust of handle 33 continued. This pulls the composite web back around the platen until the carbons are clear of the platen, and that portion of the composite web which contains the carbon-sheets 29 1s straightened out, Figure 2.

It will be understood that in-swingmg from the Figure 1 position through to the Figure 2 position, the carbon-stripper 23 has co-operated with table 41 to back the released web around the platen sufiiclently to clear the leading ends of the carbons 29 from the platen; the platen feed-rolls 16 being released from the platen during this pulling-back operation, so that the web can be easily retracted. One of the two untyped forms 21 extends under the platen and upwardly therefrom, while the leading untyped form 21 extends up along the delivery table 30.

At this time, and in order to prepare for the stripping operation, a clamp 43 may be swung down about a pivot 44, to clamp the top of the second form to the'delivery table 30, as at Figure 4, so that the work-web will remain stationary while the backward swinging movement of the stripping devices is continued, so that the carbons may be pulled rearwardly relatively to the stationary webs. \Vhile it is necessary to pull the carbons over .the' curve of the table 41, still this curve is so broad and easy that the stripping of the carbons can be eifected. Moreover each carbon may be in the nature of a sheet just long enough for typing one form, and it may be attached at its head to a broad tab 29, as at 50, Figure 5; each tab being caught at its leading end upon a stripping blade 27. This tab 50 may be of slippery cloth or it may consist of a sheet of some other thin, flexible, tough, smooth material. These tabs, because of their slippery surfaces, will slide readily along the curved table 41 between the statfonary plies of web, and there is no danger of tearing the carbon sheets 29 themselves, which, throughout practically the entire stripping operation, slide between straightened-out portions of the web extending in an upward and rearward direction between the platen and the curved table 41. The tabs 50 and the carbons 29 may be attached by means of hooks 51, Figure 5, pendent from a flexible binding strip 52 upon the bottom of the tab, and catching in key-hole or other eyes 53 formed in a flexible folded strip 54, forming spring-jaws between which the upper end of the carbon is clamped.

The carbons having thus been stripped and advanced to a succeeding form upon the webs, the next step is to restore the stripper and curved table by pulling forwardly the handle 33 to the position seen at Figure 1; the curved table for convenience being counterweighted at 45, if desired, to render it easy of operation and to keep it stationary wherever it may be left. As the table is swung forwardly a new loop 28 of web forms, and dangles in rear of the paper car-- riage l8 and temporarily rests upon the plate of the platform 46 forming part of the framework attached to the typewriter. At this time the parts are in the positions seen at Figure 6.

The next step is 21 of the web. by means of a knife 47 with which the clamp 43. is Carried upon a pair to tear off the first form Hill As the forms are carried up to the positions.

at Figure 5, the loop 28 is shortened from the position seen at 28, Figures 4 and 6; this loop 28 being taken up line by line and finally being shortened to the position seen at 28, Figure 1, at the completion of the typing of the fourth form 21 A pin-stop 55, Figure 1, limits the return movement of the hinged stripper frame, the pin being fixed on the frame and striking a standard 26. At the completion of the stripping movement, a pin strikes one of the shoulders 56 on a rotatably adjustable stop plate 57, Figure 4, pivoted upon said standard, said shoulders being at different distances from the pivot, permitting variation in regulation of the extent of the stripping of the carbons, the adjustment of plate 57 being efi'ected, for instance, by means of a removable pin 56 passing through holes or slots 56 in said plate and through a suitable opening in the standard 26.

The knife brackets 49 are adjustable up and down, the brackets having keys 58 fitted in guide slots 59 extending up and down the side supports 31 for the table 30. The brackets may have indexes 60, and the plates 31 may have corresponding scales, Figure 1. By grasping knobs 61, held in the brackets by screws 62, the brackets may be slidden along the guide slots 59, thus adjusting knife 47 and clamp 43. Indexes 63, 64, one on the carriage and the other on the framework, may co-operate to locate the carriage for the stripping operation; one of the indexes being adjustable if desired.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the im rovements may be used without others.

aving thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a web-manifolding machine having a carriage and a platen, the combination with a carbon-holder unit in the rear of the carriage movable forwardly and rearwardly, said carbon-holder stationary during letterfeeding movements of the carriage, of a normally fallen web-lifter also stationary while the carriage travels and adapted to rise intermediate the carriage and carbon-holder unit.

2. In a web-manifolding machine having a carriage and a platen, the combination with a carbon-holder unit in rear of the carriage movable forwardly and rearwardly, said carbon-holder stationary during the letter-feeding movements of the carriage, of a. normally fallen web-lifter also stationary while the carriage travels, and means for causing said web-lifter to rise intermediate the carriage and the carbon-holder unit, said carbon-holder unit mounted to swing first upwardly and rearwardly, and then downwardly and rearwardly.

3. In a manifolding machine having a carriage and a platen, the combination with a carbon-holder unit in rear of the carriage movable forwardly and rearwardly, of a normally fallen web-distending table, said carbon-holder unit mounted to swing rearwardly, and then downwardly and rearwardly, and said web-distender in the form of a table curving around the pivot of the carbon-holder unit and connected thereto; both said distender and said unit being stationary at the letter-feeding movements of the carriage.

4. In a web-manifoldin typewriting machine having a letter-feeding carriage and a revoluble platen thereon, the combination with a carbon-stripper mounted at the rear of the machine and stationary during the carriage movements, said stripper holding the carbons interleaved with the plies of work-web, with an idle loop of composite web normally hanging between said stripper and said carriage, said stripper movable rearwardly to smooth out the loop of web, and a curved table or support mounted to rise and aid in expanding or smoothing out the loop at the movement of said stripper, and effective to hold the loop in expanded condition while the carbon is stripped by said stripper.

5. In a web-manifolding typewriting machine having a letter-feeding carria e and a revoluble platen thereon, the combination with a carbon-stripper mounted at the rear of the machine, said stripper holding the carbons interleaved with the plies of workweb, with an idle loop of composite web normally hanging between said stripper and said carriage, said stripper movable rearwardly to smooth out the loop of web, a curved table or support mounted to rise and aid in expanding or smoothing out the loop at the movement of said stripper, and to hold the loop in expanded condition while the carbon is stripped by said stripper, and a support upon which said stripper and table are stationary during the carriage movements, said support detachably mounted upon the framework of the typewriting machine and extending rearwardly therefrom.

6. In a web-manifolding typewriting machine having a carriage and a. platen around WhlCh the composite web of work- Inn plies and carbons is line-fed, the combination with a carbon-holder mounted rearwardly of the platen and movable forwardly to form an idle loop of composite web and rearwardly first to take up the loop and finally to cause shifting of the carbons relatively t0 the work-plies, of a concentricallypivoted web-supporting table automatically movable, upon rearward movement of the carbon-holder, into position to support said web during the taking up of said loop and the shifting of said carbons.

7. In a web-manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble platen and a carriage therefor, of a frame.

pivoted at the back of the carriage, a support on which said frame is pivoted, carbonblades or carriers upon said frame, means for swinging said frame forwardly to form a loop of composite web hanging between said stripper and carriage and rearwardly to expand the loop and strip the carbons relatively thereto, and a loop-expanding table or take-up upon said frame below the web, both the stripper and the table being stationary at the movements of the carriage.

8. In a web-manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble platen and a carriage therefor, of a frame pivoted at the back of the carriage, a support on whichsaid frame is pivoted, carbon-blades or strippers upon said frame, means for swinging said frame forwardly to form a loop of composite Web hanging between said strippers and carriage and rearwardly to expand the loop and strip the carbons relatively thereto, and a loopexpanding table or take-up upon said frame below the web and moving upwardly at the rearward motion of said frame and supporting the web, while the carbon-blades strip the carbons and the work-web remain stationary, said strippers and table being stationary at the movements of said carriage.

9. In a web-manifolding typewriting machine having a carriage and a platen around which the composite web of work-plies and carbons is line-fed, the combination with a carbon-holder mounted rearwardly of the platen and movable forwardly to form an idle loop of composite web and rearwardly first to take up the loop and finally to cause shifting of the carbons relatively to the work-plies, of a pivoted web-supporting ta ble movable, upon rearward movement of the carbon-holder, into position to support said web during the taking up of said loop and the shifting of said carbons, said table being counterweighted to maintain the same in any desired position.

10. In a web-manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble platen and a carriage therefor, of a frame pivoted at the back of the carriage, a support on which said frame is pivoted, carbonbladesor carriers upon said frame,,means for swinging said frame forwardly to form a loop of composite web hanging between said carriers and carriage and rearwardly to expand the loop and strip the carbons relatively thereto, and a loop-expanding table or take-up upon said frame below the web,

said table in the form of a segment of a cylinder curved concentrically with the pivot gfnsaid frame, to rise as the carbon-blades 11. The combination of a carbon unit, tabs connected at their rear ends to said carbon unit and at their forward ends having a flexible binding strip with books thereon, and carbons having at their rear ends flexible binding strips with eyes therein engaged by said hooks.

12. In a web-manifolding machine having a carriage and a platen around which the composite web of work-plies and carbons is line-fed, the combination with a carbonholder unit in rear of the carriage movable forwardly to form an idle loop of composite web and rearwardly first to take upgthe loop and finally to strip the carbons, said carbon holder stationary during the letter-feeding movements of the carriage, of a web-support intermediate the carriage and the carbonholder unit when the idle loop is taken up, and having means for holding the loop or slack distended while the carbon-holder strips the carbons relatively to the stationary worklies, a Work-table at the delivery side 0 the platen, a websevering knife on said work-table, and a clamp associated with said knife, said parts being arranged so that at the carbon-stripping operation the leading form is in position to be torn off, said leading form being the form but one in advance of the just-typed form.

13. In a web-manifolding machine having a carriage and a platen around which the composite web of work-plies and carbons is line-fed, the combination with a pivoted carbon-holder unit in rear of the carriage movable forwardly to form an idle loop of composite web and rearwardly to first take up the loop and finally to strip the carbons, said carbon-holder stationary during the letterfeeding movements of the carriage, of a websupport intermediate the carriage and the carbon-holder unit when the idle loop is taken up, having means for holding the loop or slack distended while the carbonholder strips the carbons relatively to the stationary work-plies, and a stop-plate adjustable eccentrically for varying the length of stroke of the carbon-holder unit.

14. In a web-manifolding typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a traveling carriage therefor and a unitary structure pivoted rearwardly of said carriage and including a web-supporting table in the form of a segment of a cylinder concentrically pivoted upon a shaft extending transversely of the machine, an arm rigid with said table and terminating approximately co-circumferentially with said table and rearwardly thereof, a carbon-holder unit on the end of said arm, and means for swinging said unitary structure forwardly to create a 100 in said web between the carriage and sai carbon-holder unit and rearwardly to take up the loop and shift the carbons relatively to the work-plies.

15. In a web-manifolding machine having a carriage and a platen around which the composite web of work-plies and carbons is line-fed, the combination with a carbonholder unit in rear of the carriage movable forwardly to form an idle loop of composite web and rearwardly to take up the loop and strip the carbons, said carbon-holder stationary during the letter-feeding movements of the carriage, of a web-support intermediate the carriage and the carbonholder unit when the idle loop is taken up,

' to hold the loop or slack distended while the backward movement of the carbon-holder is continued, to strip the carbons relatively to the stationary work-plies, said carbonholder unit mounted to move upwardly and rearwardly at the operation of taking up the loop, and rearwardly and downwardly below said web-support at the operation of stripping the carbons.

16. In a web-manifolding machine having a carriage and a platen around which the composite web of work-plies and carbons is line-fed, the combination with a carbonholder unit in rear of the carriage movable forwardly to form an idle loop of composite web and rearwardly to take up the loop and strip the carbons, said carbon-holder stationary during the letter-feeding movements of the carriage, of a normally fallen slackreducing web-lifter under the web and connected to rise and thereby lift the composite web intermediate the carriage and the carbon-holder unit at the taking up of the loop, and to support such intermediate web in elevated position at the operation of stripping the carbons by further rearward movement of said carbon-holder unit while the webplies are held stationary, said carbon-holder unit mounted to swing rearwardly at the taking up of the idle loop, and downwardly and rearwardly to strip the carbons after the arrest of the work-plies, and said web-lifter in the form of a table curving around the pivot of the carbon-holder unit and secured thereto, and swinging first upwardly and then rearwardly and maintaining the stationary web expanded during its rearward movement while the carbons are stripped.

17. In a web-manifolding machine having a carriage and a platen around which the composite web of work-plies and carbons is line-fed, the combination with a carbonholder unit in rear of the carriage movable forwardly to form an idle loop of composite web and rearwardly to take up the loop and strip the carbons, said carbon-holder stationary during the letter-feeding movements of the carriage, of a normally fallen slackreducing web-lifter under the web and connected to rise and thereby lift the composite web intermediate the carriage and the carbon-holder unit at the taking up of the loop, and to support such intermediate web in elevated position at the operation of stripping the carbons by further rearward movement of said carbon-holder unit while the web plies are held stationary, said carbon-holder unit mounted to swing rear'wardly at the taking up of the idle loop, and downwardly and rearwardlv to strip the carbons after the arrest of the work-plies, and said weblifter in the form of a table curving around the pivot of the carbon-holder unit and secured thereto, and swinging first upwardly and then rearwardly and maintaining the stationary web expanded during its rearward movement while the carbons are stripped, said carbon-holder unit mounted to move upwardly and rearwardly at the operation of taking up the loop, and rearwardly and downwardly below said websupport at the operation of stripping the carbons.

18. In a web-manifolding typewriting machine having a platen and a traveling carriage, the combination of a pair of vertical standards mounted rearwardlv of the carriage, a shaft journaled in said standards, a carbon-holder unit mounted on said shaft, a pinion on said shaft'and rigid with said carbon-holder unit, a gear-segment pivoted on one of said standards and engaging said pinion, and means controllable from the front of the machine for oscillating said segment to cause said carbon-holder unit to move toward and away from said carriage.

19. In a web-manifolding typewriting machine having a platen and a carriage therefor, the combination with a paper-table mountedat the delivery side of said platen, of a pair of arms pivoted on said table, and a knife-bar and a clamp-bar connected to the free ends of said arms and movable toward and away from said table.

BURNHAM C. STICKNEY.

Ill) 

